The community cried together Sunday night for the tragic loss of four lives and rallied together to support the family’s sole survivor.
Celebration Church in Akron held a vigil Sunday night for nearly 125 people to mourn and remember the Wallis and Riley family after a fire tore through their North Hill home early Saturday morning.
With no smoke detectors in their house, the fire killed Omar Riley, Shirley Wallis and their two children, 9-year-old Aniyla and 8-year-old Shanice Riley. The oldest girl, 12-year-old Shaniya Wallis, was the only one to survive, along with family friend Jennifer Grubbs.
Tears flowed freely in the room of the vigil where the Wallises and Rileys worshipped together so many times before. Sniffles cut through the introductory music as a box of tissues made its way around the room, and kids buried their faces into their parents’ coats to soften the loss of their friends.
“Nothing ever prepares a community for such a tragedy,” said Mayor Dan Horrigan on the stage. “As you find it difficult over the coming months and years to walk and take those next steps, know that we stand behind you and we stand beside you every step of the way.”
Members of the church prayed for everyone affected by the fire — family members, friends, the three different Akron public schools the girls attended, the students at those schools and officials who handled the situation.
But most of all, they prayed for Shaniya.
The Rev. Zach Prosser, the family’s pastor at Celebration Church, prayed at Shaniya’s bedside Saturday and again Sunday.
He said she is now in stable condition but still undergoing treatment and testing. Most of her injuries are because of smoke inhalation, and she has a small burn on her leg.
“We’re thankful that was the extent of her burn injury,” Prosser said. “But she still has a long way to go.”
Though neither Shaniya nor her family were at the vigil, their spirits still were.
Friends, teachers and church members told stories of girls they remember as “spirited and energetic.”
They were at Celebration Church every week and often came to its Night of Hope, an event held every month to provide free meals, haircuts, medical services and more to anyone living in Summit County.
The past Night of Hope was Nov. 30, where Shirley Wallis took the girls to get haircuts and clothes.
Tamera Kraft, a member of the church, said that day — the last day she saw them — they gave her a big hug and wished her a merry Christmas.
“They will definitely be missed,” Kraft said. “They were very loving and energetic girls.”
A teacher of Shaniya’s saw her at school the next day, where she walked confidently with a new turquoise purse. Shaniya told her she got it from Celebration Church during Night of Hope.
“She said that one of her favorite things to do is to go to church on Wednesday and go shopping,” her teacher said. “I think it just shows a little bit of Shaniya’s big personality.”
A group of Shirley Wallis’ friends gathered after the vigil. They never describe her as a friend, though. They always just tell people Shirley Wallis is their family.
“She was a real good girl, real loving,” Jennifer Rodgers of Akron said about Shirley Wallis. “[The girls] loved God, they were full of energy, beautiful babies.”
“They were so smart, always smiling,” added Chaunte Richardson of Akron. “Even when they didn’t have stuff, they were so happy.”
The group said Shirley Wallis didn’t have a lot of family, so her friends were treated as such. Described as outspoken and funny, they ticked off a list of things she loved: her dad, her kids and cats.
Funeral arrangements for the family aren’t completed. Celebration Church will offer updates when they’re available.
The church has also set up a “Shaniya Fund” to pay for her medical bills and the family’s funeral arrangements. To donate, visit ccakron.org. They’re also collecting cards for Shaniya, which can be sent to 688 Dan St., Akron OH 44130.
“[Shaniya] has an entire community that Christ has provided for her that’s rallying around her,” said Heather Prosser, the executive pastor at Celebration Church and Zach Prosser’s wife. “Though her family’s passed, she’s not alone, and there is hope in Christ.”
Theresa Cottom can be reached at 330-996-3216 or tcottom@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @Theresa_Cottom .